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(d) In providing rehabilitative services under this chapter, the Administrator shall take appropriate action to make it possible for the patient to take maximum advantage of any benefits to which such patient is entitled under chapter 31, 34, or 35 of this title, and, if the patient is still receiving treatment of a prolonged nature under this chapter, the provision of rehabilitative services under this chapter shall be continued during, and coordinated with, the pursuit of education and training under such chapter 31, 34, or 35. (Added P.L. 94-581, § 105 (a) (3).)

(e) The Administrator shall prescribe regulations to ensure that the priorities set forth in section 612(i) of this title shall be applied, insofar as practicable, to participation in therapeutic and rehabilitation activities carried out under this section. (Added F.L. 94–581, $105 (a) (3).)

§ 619. Repair or replacement of certain prosthetic and other appliances

The Administrator may repair or replace any artificial limb, truss, brace, hearing aid, spectacles, or similar appliance (not including dental appliances) reasonably necessary to a veteran and belonging to such veteran which was damaged or destroyed by a fall or other accident caused by a service-connected disability for which such veteran is inreceipt of, or but for the receipt of retirement pay would be entitled to, disability compensation. (Added P.L. 87-850, § 1(a); amended P.L. 94-581, § 210 (a) (6).)

§ 620. Transfers for nursing home care

(a) Subject to subsection (b) and except as provided in subsection (e) of this section, the Administrator may transfer

(1) any veteran who has been furnished care by the Administrator in a hospital under the direct jurisdiction of the Administrator, and

(2) any person (A) who has been furnished care in any hospital of any of the Armed Forces, (B) who the appropriate Secretary concerned has determined has received maximum hospital benefits but requires a protracted period of nursing home care, and (C) who upon discharge therefrom will become a veteran, to any public or private institution not under the jurisdiction of the Administrator which furnishes nursing home care, for care at the expense of the United States, only if the Administrator determines that

(i) such veteran has received maximum benefits from such care in such hospital, but will require a protracted period of nursing home care which can be furnished in such institution, and

(ii) the cost of such nursing home care in such institution will not exceed 45 per centum of the cost of care furnished by the Veterans' Administration in a general hospital under the direct and exclusive jurisdiction of the Administrator, as such cost may be determined annually by the Administrator, or not to exceed 50 per centum of such cost where determined necessary by the Administrator, upon recommendation of the Chief Medical Director, to provide adequate care.

Nursing home care may not be furnished pursuant to this section at the expense of the United States for more than six months in the aggregate in connection with any one transfer, except (I) in the case of the veteran whose hospitalization was primarily for a service-connected disability, or (II) where in the judgment of the Administrator a longer period is warranted in the case of any other veteran. Any veteran who is furnished care by the Administrator in a hospital in Alaska or Hawaii may be furnished nursing home care under the provisions of this section even if such hospital is not under the direct jurisdiction of the Administrator. (Added P.L. 88-450, § 2(a); amended P.L. 90-429; P.L. 90–612, § 1; P.L. 91–101; P.L. 93-82, § 104 (a), (b); P.L. 94-581, §§ 106(1)-(3), 202 (h).)

(b) No veteran may be transferred or admitted to any institution for nursing home care under this section, unless such institution is determined by the Administrator to meet such standards as the Administrator may prescribe. The standards prescribed and any report of inspection of institutions furnishing care to veterans under this section made by or for the Administrator shall, to the extent possible, be made available to all Federal, State, and local agencies charged with the responsibility of licensing or otherwise regulating or inspecting such institutions. (Added P.L. 88-450, § 2(a); amended P.L. 93-82, § 104 (c); P.L. 94-581, § 210(a) (7).)

(c) In applying the provisions of section 2(b)(1) of the Service Contract Act of 1965 with respect to any contract entered into under this section to provide nursing home care of veterans, the payment of wages not less than those specified in section 6(b) of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, as amended, shall be deemed to constitute compliance with such provisions. (Added P.L. 90-612, §3.)

(d) Subject to subsection (b) of this section, the Administrator may authorize for any veteran requiring nursing home care for a service-connected disability direct admission for such care at the expense of the United States to any public or private institution not under the jurisdiction of the Administrator which furnishes nursing home care. Such admission may be authorized upon determination of need therefor by a physician employed by the Veterans' Administration or, in areas where no such physician is available, carrying out such function under contract or fee arrangement based on an examination by such physician. The amount which may be paid for such care and the length of care available under this subsection shall be the same as authorized under subsection (a) of this section. (Added P.L. 93-82, § 104 (d).)

(e) For the purposes of this section, the term "nursing home care" includes intermediate care, as determined by the Administrator in accordance with regulations which the Administrator shall prescribe. The cost of intermediate care for purposes of payment by the United States pursuant to subsection (a)(ii) of this section shall be determined by the Administrator except that the rate of reimbursement shall be commensurately less than that provided for nursing home care (as defined in section 101 (28) of this title). (Added P.L. 94-581, § 106(4).)

Subchapter III-Miscellaneous Provisions Relating to Hospital and Nursing Home Care and Medical Treatment of Veterans § 621. Power to make rules and regulations The Administrator shall prescribe

(1) such rules and procedure governing the furnishing of hospital, nursing home, and domiciliary care as the Administrator may deem proper and necessary;

(2) limitations in connection with the furnishing of hospital, nursing home, and domiciliary care; and

(3) such rules and regulations as the Administrator deems necessary in order to promote good conduct on the part of persons who are receiving hospital, nursing home, or domiciliary care in Veterans' Administration facilities. (Amended P.L. 94-581, §§ 202 (j), 210 (a) (8).)

§ 622. Statement under oath

(a) For the purposes of section 610 (a) (1) (B), section 610 (b) (2), section 624 (c), and section 632 (a) (2) of this title, the statement under oath of an applicant on such form as may be prescribed by the Administrator shall be accepted as sufficient evidence of inability to defray necessary expenses. (Amended P.L. 89-612, § 1; P.L. 94-581, $ 202 (k).)

(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, the receipt of pension under any law administered by the Veterans' Administration shall constitute sufficient evidence of inability to defray necessary expenses, and any veteran in receipt of such pension shall be exempt from making any statement under oath regarding such veteran's inability to defray necessary expenses. (Added P.L. 91-500, § 1); amended P.L. 94-581, § 210 (a) (9).)

§623. Furnishing of clothing

The Administrator shall not furnish clothing to persons who are in Veterans' Administration facilities, except (1) where the furnishing of such clothing to indigent persons is necessary to protect health or sanitation, and (2) where the Administrator furnishes veterans with special clothing made necessary by the wearing of prosthetic appliances. (Amended P.L. 94-581, § 210 (a) (10).)

§ 624. Hospital care, medical services and nursing home care abroad

(a) Except as provided in subsections (b) and (c), the Administrator shall not furnish hospital or domiciliary care or medical services outside any State. (Amended P.L. 86-624, § 25 (a).)

(b) The Administrator may furnish necessary hospital care and medical services to any otherwise eligible veteran for any service-connected disability if the veteran (1) is a citizen of the United States sojourning or residing abroad, or (2) is in the Republic of the Philippines. (Amended P.L. 86-152; P.L. 87-815, § 4.)

(c) Within the limits of those facilities of the Veterans Memorial Medical Center at Manila, Republic of the Philippines, for which the Administrator may contract, the Administrator may furnish necessary

hospital care to a veteran for any non-service-connected disability if such veteran is unable to defray the expenses of necessary hospital care. The Administrator may enter into contracts to carry out this section. (Amended P.L. 94-581, §§ 202(1), 210 (a) (11); P.L. 95–520, § 3(a).)

(d) The Administrator may furnish nursing home care, on the same terms and conditions set forth in section 620 (a) of this title and at the same rate as specified in section 632 (a) (4) of this title, to any veteran who has been furnished hospital care in the Philippines pursuant to this section, but who requires a protracted period of nursing home care. (Added P.L. 93-82, § 108 (a).)

§ 626. Reimbursement for loss of personal effects by natural disaster

The Administrator shall, under regulations which the Administråtor shall prescribe, reimburse veterans in Veterans' Administration hospitals and domiciliaries for any loss of personal effects sustained by fire, earthquake, or other natural disaster while such effects were stored in designated locations in Veterans' Administration hospitals or domiciliaries. (Amended P.L. 93-82, § 105; P.L. 94-581, § 210 (a) (12).)

§ 627. Persons eligible under prior law

Persons who have a status which would, under the laws in effect on December 31, 1957, entitle them to the medical services, hospital and domiciliary care, and other benefits, provided for in this chapter, but who did not meet the service requirements contained in this chapter, shall be entitled to such benefits notwithstanding failure to meet such service requirements. (Amended P.L. 94-581, § 202 (m).) § 628. Reimbursement of certain medical expenses

(a) The Administrator may, under such regulations as the Administrator shall prescribe, reimburse veterans entitled to hospital care or medicial services under this chapter for the reasonable value of such care or services (including the necessary travel), for which such veterans have made payment, from sources other than the Veterans' Administration, where

(1) such care or services were rendered in a medical emergency of such nature that delay would have been hazardous to life or health;

(2) such care or services were rendered to a veteran in need thereof (A) for an adjudicated service-connected disability, (B) for a non-service-connected disability associated with and held to be aggravating a service-connected disability, (C) for any disability of a veteran who has a total disability permanent in nature from a service-connected disability, or (D) for any illness, injury, or dental condition in the case of a veteran who is found to be (i) in need of vocational rehabilitation under chapter 31 of this title and for whom an objective had been selected or (ii) pursuing a course of vocational rehabilitation training and is medically determined to have been in need of care or treatment to make possible such veteran's entrance into a course of training, or prevent

interruption of a course of training, or hasten the return to a course of training which was interrupted because of such illness, injury, or dental condition; and

(3) Veterans' Administration or other Federal facilities were not feasibly available, and an attempt to use them beforehand would not have been reasonable, sound, wise, or practical. (Added P.L. 93-82, § 106(a); amended P.L. 94-581, §§ 202(n), 210(a) (13).)

(b) In any case where reimbursement would be in order under subsection (a) of this section, the Administrator may, in lieu of reimbursing such veteran, make payment of the reasonable value of care or services directly

(1) to the hospital or other health facility furnishing the care or services; or

(2) to the person or organization making such expenditure on behalf of such veteran. (Added P.L. 93-82, § 106 (a).)

Subchapter IV-Hospital and Medical Care for Commonwealth of the Philippines Army Veterans

8631. Assistance to the Republic of the Philippines

The President is authorized to assist the Republic of the Philippines in providing medical care and treatment for Commonwealth Army veterans and new Philippine Scouts in need of such care and treatment for service-connected disabilities and non-service-connected disabilities under certain conditions. (Amended P.L. 91-24, § 6(b); P.L. 93-82, § 107(a).)

§ 632. Contracts and grants to provide hospital care, medical services and nursing home care

(a) The President, with the concurrence of the Republic of the Philippines, may authorize the Administrator to enter into contracts with the Veterans Memorial Medical Center, with the approval of the appropriate department of the Government of the Republic of the Philippines, covering the period beginning on July 1, 1973, and ending on September 30, 1981, under which the United States

(1) will pay for hospital care in the Republic of the Philippines, or for medical services which shall be provided either in the Veterans Memorial Medical Center, or by contract, or otherwise by the Administrator in accordance with the conditions and limitations applicable generally to beneficiaries under section 612 of this title, for Commonwealth Army veterans and for new Philippine Scouts determined by the Administrator to be in need of such hospital care or medical services for service-connected disabilities;

(2) will pay for hospital care at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center for Commonwealth Army veterans, and for new Philippine Scouts if they enlisted before July 4, 1946, determined by the Administrator to need such care for non-service-connected disabilities if they are unable to defray the expenses of necessary hospital care;

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